Transcript Hallucinogens

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Hallucinogenic compounds found in some plants
and mushrooms (or their extracts) have been
used—mostly during religious rituals—for
centuries. Almost all hallucinogens contain
nitrogen and are classified as alkaloids. Many
hallucinogens have chemical structures similar to
those of natural neurotransmitters (e.g.,
acetylcholine-, serotonin-, or catecholamine-like).
While the exact mechanisms by which
hallucinogens exert their effects remain unclear,
research suggests that these drugs work, at least
partially, by temporarily interfering with
neurotransmitter action or by binding to their
receptor sites.
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LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide) is one of the most potent
mood-changing chemicals. It was discovered in 1938 and is
manufactured from lysergic acid, which is found in ergot, a
fungus that grows on rye and other grains.
Peyote (Mescaline) is a small, spineless cactus in which the
principal active ingredient is mescaline. This plant has been used
by natives in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States
as a part of religious ceremonies. Mescaline can also be produced
through chemical synthesis.
Psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is
obtained from certain types of mushrooms that are indigenous to
tropical and subtropical regions of South America, Mexico, and
the United States. These mushrooms typically contain less than 0.5
percent psilocybin plus trace amounts of psilocin, another
hallucinogenic substance.
PCP (phencyclidine) was developed in the 1950s as an
intravenous anesthetic. Its use has since been discontinued due to
serious adverse effects.
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Acid
Magic Mushrooms
Shrooms
X
Boomers
Angel Dust
White Lightening
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LSD, peyote, psilocybin, and PCP are drugs that cause
hallucinations, which are profound distortions in a person’s
perception of reality. Under the influence of hallucinogens,
people see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that
seem real but are not. Some hallucinogens also produce
rapid, intense emotional swings. LSD, peyote, and
psilocybin cause their effects by initially disrupting the
interaction of nerve cells and the neurotransmitter
serotonin.1 Distributed throughout the brain and spinal
cord, the serotonin system is involved in the control of
behavioral, perceptual, and regulatory systems, including
mood, hunger, body temperature, sexual behavior, muscle
control, and sensory perception. On the other hand, PCP
acts mainly through a type of glutamate receptor in the
brain that is important for the perception of pain, responses
to the environment, and learning and memory.
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LSD: Sensations and feelings change much more dramatically
than the physical signs in people under the influence of LSD. The
user may feel several different emotions at once or swing rapidly
from one emotion to another. If taken in large enough doses, the
drug produces delusions and visual hallucinations. The user’s
sense of time and self is altered. Experiences may seem to “cross
over” different senses, giving the user the feeling of hearing colors
and seeing sounds. These changes can be frightening and can
cause panic. Some LSD users experience severe, terrifying
thoughts and feelings of despair, fear of losing control, or fear of
insanity and death while using LSD.LSD users can also experience
flashbacks, or recurrences of certain aspects of the drug
experience. Flashbacks occur suddenly, often without warning,
and may do so within a few days or more than a year after LSD
use. In some individuals, the flashbacks can persist and cause
significant distress or impairment in social or occupational
functioning, a condition known as hallucinogen-induced
persisting perceptual disorder (HPPD).
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Peyote: The long-term residual psychological and cognitive effects of mescaline, peyote’s
principal active ingredient, remain poorly understood. A recent study found no evidence
of psychological or cognitive deficits among Native Americans that use peyote regularly
in a religious setting.2 It should be mentioned, however, that these findings may not
generalize to those who repeatedly abuse the drug for recreational purposes. Peyote
abusers may also experience flashbacks.
Psilocybin: The active compounds in psilocybin-containing “magic” mushrooms have
LSD-like properties and produce alterations of autonomic function, motor reflexes,
behavior, and perception.3 The psychological consequences of psilocybin use include
hallucinations, an altered perception of time, and an inability to discern fantasy from
reality. Panic reactions and psychosis also may occur, particularly if a user ingests a
large dose. Long-term effects such as flashbacks, risk of psychiatric illness, impaired
memory, and tolerance have been described in case reports.
PCP: The use of PCP as an approved anesthetic in humans was discontinued in 1965
because patients often became agitated, delusional, and irrational while recovering from
its anesthetic effects. PCP is a “dissociative drug,” meaning that it distorts perceptions of
sight and sound and produces feelings of detachment (dissociation) from the
environment and self. First introduced as a street drug in the 1960s, PCP quickly gained
a reputation as a drug that could cause bad reactions and was not worth the risk.
However, some abusers continue to use PCP due to the feelings of strength, power, and
invulnerability as well as a numbing effect on the mind that PCP can induce.
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Increased heart rate
Increased blood pressure
Sleepiness
Tremors
Lack of muscle coordination
Incoherent speech
Decreased awareness of touch and pain
Coma
Heart and lung failure
Depression
Anxiety
Paranoia
Violent behaviors
Confusion
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Relaxation, giggling
Radiant colors, objects and surfaces appear to
ripple or breathe.
Curved or warped patterns
Geometric patterns
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Dilated pupils
Dizziness
Dry Mouth
Tremors
Heavy perspiration
Bad body odor
Chills
Nausea
Muscle weakness
Low or high body temperature
Rapid or depressed heart rate
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Psychological dependence
Cross tolerance
Depression
Anxiety
Increased risk of developing schizophrenia or
psychotic episodes
Miscarriages
Birth defects
Fatal liver damage
Flashbacks
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Extreme pupil dilation
Skin is warm and clammy to the touch
Unnatural body odor
Disturbance of all the senses including sight,
hearing and touch
Distortion of self image
Warped perception of the passage of time
Mood swings and behavior changes
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http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfa
cts/hallucinogens-lsd-peyote-psilocybin-pcp
http://www.livestrong.com/article/110013different-types-hallucinogenic-drugs/
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/lsd/st
reet-names-for-lsd.html
http://www.thegooddrugsguide.com/lsd/psyche
delic.htm
http://www.intheknowzone.com/substanceabuse-topics/hallucinogens/health-effects.html